CPU
GPU
Pentium Gold 8500
Xeon E3-1225 v5
Performance Spectrum - CPU
About PassMark
PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Pentium Gold 8500 is positioned at rank 527 and the Xeon E3-1225 v5 is on rank 485, so the Xeon E3-1225 v5 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium Gold 8500
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3-1225 v5
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium Gold 8500 | Xeon E3-1225 v5 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Legacy / Intel 7 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Skylake-DT (2015) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium Gold 8500 | Xeon E3-1225 v5 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
Performance Check
To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.
Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Pentium Gold 8500 and Xeon E3-1225 v5
Pentium Gold 8500
The Pentium Gold 8500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It features 5 cores and 6 threads. Max frequency: 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1781. Thermal design power (TDP): 29 Watt. Memory support: LPDDR5-5200, LPDDR4x-4267. Passmark benchmark score: 5,949 points. Launch price was $69.
Xeon E3-1225 v5
The Xeon E3-1225 v5 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake-DT (2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1866/2133, DDR3L-1333/1600. Passmark benchmark score: 5,953 points. Launch price was $224.
Processing Power
The Pentium Gold 8500 packs 5 cores / 6 threads, while the Xeon E3-1225 v5 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Pentium Gold 8500 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Pentium Gold 8500 versus 3.7 GHz on the Xeon E3-1225 v5 — a 17.3% clock advantage for the Pentium Gold 8500. The Xeon E3-1225 v5 is built on the Skylake-DT (2015) architecture. In PassMark, the Pentium Gold 8500 scores 5,949 against the Xeon E3-1225 v5's 5,953 — a 0.1% lead for the Xeon E3-1225 v5. L3 cache: 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache on the Pentium Gold 8500 vs 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1225 v5.
| Feature | Pentium Gold 8500 | Xeon E3-1225 v5 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 5 / 6+25% | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 4.4 GHz+19% | 3.7 GHz |
| Base Clock | — | 3.3 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache | 8 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | — | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | Intel 7 nm-50% | 14 nm |
| Architecture | — | Skylake-DT (2015) |
| PassMark | 5,949 | 5,953 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium Gold 8500 uses the FCBGA1781 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon E3-1225 v5 uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium Gold 8500 | Xeon E3-1225 v5 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1781 | LGA1151 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 4.0+33% | PCIe 3.0 |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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